Improvement in windmills



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

THOMAS O. LITTLE, OF DIXON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOSEPH T. LITTLE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDMIL'LS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,246, dated September 22, 1874; application filed May 15, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. LITTLE, of Dixon, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improve,- rnent in Windmills; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same,.reference-being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved windmill with a portion of the tower or frame broken away for the purpose of better showing the arrangement of parts. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same detached from the tower. Figs. 3 and 4 represent modications in the means for supporting the wheel and for actuating the pump -rod therefrom, hereinafter explained 5 and Fig. 5 represents a horizontal section through the cylinder or vertical journal and journal-bearing of the wind-wheel, taken in line Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

The invention relates to a novel manner of mounting the turn-table or plate which supports the wind-wheel and vane; to the construction and manner of supporting the vertical cylinder or journal of wind-wheel; to the means for actuating the pump-rod; and to devices for controlling the wheel in presenting it to or turning it away from the action of the wind, as hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents a vertical cylinder or journal provided with a central vertical perforation for the pump-rod and shipping link or rod to pass through and upon its outer face with a peripherical groove, a, forming a recess to receive the supporting journal strap or band B. This strap or band is made in two parts, each having a semi-annular portion, (see Fig. 5,) which rests in the groove a, the two clasping the cylinder and forming a bearing and support therefor. The ends are bent outward, and are bolted to each other and to the tops O of the uprights C,

forming the supporting-tower by through-bolts c, as shown in Figs. l and 5. The upper end of the cylinder A has cast upon or otherwise secured to it a horizontal plate or table, D, provided with a central perforation conforming to that through the cylinder A for the passage of the pump and shipping-rods, and upon one side thereof with upright lugs or ears d in bearings, in which the stub axle or shaft E of the wind-wheel E is mounted. The wheel E', which may be of any usual or preferred construction, is secured to the outer end of the shaft E. This shaft, which extends inward only to the vertical plane of the perforation through the plate and cylinder', is provided on its inner end with a cam or eccentric, e, for actuating the pump-rod. F is the pump-rod, which passes through the central perforation through the plate D and cylinder B, and is provided at its upper end with horizontal spurs, on which are mounted fric tion-rollers ff, one above and the other underneath the eccentric e, which, by its rotation, imparts a direct vertical reciprocatiou to the rod F in a manner that will be readily understood. The plate D and upper face of the cylinder are recessed at f2 to permit the lower roller to descend below the face of plate D, thus obviating the necessity for elongating the bearings d. An arched plate, a?, secured at its ends to the plate D, extends up over the cam e and friction-roller, and serves as a shield and cover to protect said parts from snow and ice or other. obstructions, besides aifording an upper bearing to the sliding rod F, tending to prevent lateral deection or strain from the action of .the cam e. Upon the opposite arm F/'Aof the plate Fis formed a recess, fl, within which is secured the inner end or arm Gr of the vane G1, which is hinged in line with the wind-wheel shaft, said arm being secured by a vertical pivot, g, which extends upward some distance above the plate, and forms, at its upper end, a support for a bent shipping-lever, h. Upon either side of the recess f1V is a stop or pin, g1, these pins being arranged relatively to each other, and to the recess and arm G, to permit the vane to be turned from its normal position, or a position slightly deflected from a right line with the wind-wheel shaft E, to one at, or nearly at, right angles thereto, and vice versa, for presenting the wheel to or turning it away from the action of the wind, as desired. The pivot g is supported near its upper end by a forked truss or brace, i, .extending downward to and connected with the` plate D, one arm upon 'each side thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper end of this forked truss or brace, at its junction with the upright g, forms an eye or loop, within which is secured an eye or loop formed upon the upper bent end of a forked truss or brace, t', extending outward and downward to the vane G, and with its arm secured upon opposite sides thereof, as shown. This loop connection permits the vane to be adjusted freely, while the arrangement of the trusses or braces i t" prevents sagging of the vane and' strain upon the -pivot and lever support g.

The bent shipping-lever h is connected with the top of pivotal support g by a horizontal pivot at h', and at its outer end has connected with it the upper end of a pivoted link-rod, 7c, which, at its lower end, is pivoted to the lower inner corner or end of the vane G1. (See Figs. l and 2.)

The inner end of the short arm of lever h is pivoted to the upper end of a vertical rod, L, which passes downward through a perforation in the cylinder A, by the side of the central pump'rod perforation, (see Fig. 5,) and is connected at its lower end with a sliding collar, L', on the pump-rod.

'Ihe collar L' is grooved on its periphery to receive a shipping-fork, m, on the upper end of a vertical reciprocating rod, M, which works in suitable guides or bearing-brackets on', and is connected at its lower end with a weighted shipping-lever, N. The weighted lever N, when pressed or held down, serves, through the connecting-rods M and K, and bent lever h and link k, to hold the vane G in line, or nearly in line, with the shaft E, as shown in Fig. 2, for presenting the wheel E' properly to the action of the wind, and when raised serves to turn the vane from such position to one more or less nearly approaching a right angle to the wheel-shaft E, for causing the wheel to be deflected or turned away more or less from the direct action of the wind, for diminishing the velocity of, or entirely stopping, the movement of the wheel, as desired.

By preference, the stops g1 are so arranged as to prevent the vane from being brought into a right line with the shaft, for the purpose of avoiding the dead-center, which would thereby be produced, and the strain or abrupt movements of the vane consequent upon the effort to remove it from such dead-center. By this arrangement the vane is made to respond readily and easily to the movement of the lever N.

It is sometimes found desirable to move the wheel relatively to its vertical support-viz., the cylinder A-and to give the vane a fixed relation thereto. This is done by casting the cylinder A with a horizontal flange or disk, a1, on its upper end, and connecting therewith, by means of loops or U-shaped brackets d', an upper disk, D', constituting the turn-table for the wheel-shaft E and wheel E', the brackets d' permitting the plate D' to move or turn upon cylinder A, within certain limits, controlled by stops or pins g2. (See Fig. 3.)

The shaft E is mounted in upright ears on plate D', similar to those on plate D, above described. In this c'onstructionthe vane, or its supporting-arm G2, is rigidly connected directly to the cylinder A.

For changing the position of the wheel in this construction, while the devices above described for operating the vane may be used applied to the wheel, I prefer to connect a bell-crank lever, O, with the supporting-arm G2, the upper end of which is connected with the turn plate or table D' and the lower arm by a rod or link, with a weighted lever, N, within reach of the attendant on the ground.

Figs. 3 and 4 also show a modification in the manner of connecting the wheel-shaft with the pump-rod, the object in this construction, as also in that above described, being to secure a reciprocation of said rod in a right line through the supporting-cylinder A, and without the aid of the ordinary pitman or lever arrangement, as by this construction the size of the cylinder may be greatly reduced, and the apparatus brought into more compact shape.

Fig. 4' shows the upper end of the pumprod F, provided with a head, F', having a horizontal rectangular slot formed therein, in which is placed a sliding block mounted upon the eccentric-crank wrist on the shaft E, the rotation of which causes the pump-rod to rise and fall in a right line, as explained.

Other modifications in the construction and arrangements of parts may be made, as, for example, the supporting straps or bands B may be duplicated so as to place one at or near the top of cylinder A, and another at or near its bottom, for giving greater length of bearing, and, consequently, greater steadiness to the cylinder.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The revolving cylinder A, to which the vane is connected, said cylinder having on its upper surface a flanged rim, to which the rotating wheel-supporting table D' is attached by means of loops or brackets, substantially as described.

2. 'lhe rotating wind wheel table D', arranged over the revolving cylinder A and under the wind-wheel shaft, for supporting and turning said shaft relatively to the cylinder Y.

and vane, as described.

3. The arched support and guide a2 to the pump-rod F, forming a shield or cover to the crank and connecting or pump rod, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The cylinder A, forming a support for the wind-wheel shaft E, and provided with suitable stops g3 for the vane G1, and with the recess f2 for the friction-rollerf, in combination with lthe arched shield and guide a? to pumprod F, substantially as described.

5. The Cylinder A, provided with the annu- 8. The combination of the vertical shiftinglur recess or recesses a, in combination with rod L, the curved lever h, the link 7c, and the the straps or bands B and the frame C, substantiztlly as described.

vane Gl, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 6. The hinged truss-rods z', in combination 8th day of April, 1874.

with the pivoted vane G1, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7 The upright g,forn1ing the vertical pivot to the Vane G1, and the support for the curved shipping-lever h, arranged and operating as described.

THOMAS C. LITTLE. 

